There isn't a Virgin Voyages drink package, but there are still ways you can save on drinks

As a relatively new player in the cruise industry, Virgin Voyages has turned heads with its innovative approach to dining, world-class entertainment, and adults-only atmosphere. It continues to set itself apart by ditching traditional cruise add-ons, including extra-charge specialty restaurants and drink packages. 

While popular on cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, and Norwegian, you won't find any drink packages on Virgin Voyages. Instead of offering traditional drink packages for a fixed daily price, Virgin Voyages only allows passengers to pay per drink — or use a prepaid bar tab credit. 

According to Virgin's website, "Bar Tab is Sailor Loot (AKA onboard credit) that’s pre-purchased to spend on premium beverages all around our lady ships and at The Beach Club at Bimini."

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The biggest advantage of pre-purchasing a Bar Tab is the bonus onboard credit of up to $250 that Virgin Voyages adds, depending on how much you originally spend. In other words, the extra credit can translate to free drinks during your cruise vacation.

How does Virgin Voyages' Bar Tab work?

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Virgin Voyages’ Bar Tab is essentially a prepaid beverage credit, rather than an unlimited drink package. Cruisers can purchase a Bar Tab before their cruise and use the balance to pay for drinks at bars, restaurants, and lounges on their ship. 

All Bar Tabs must be purchased through Virgin's app or website at least 24 hours before sailing, as they cannot be added once you are on board. 

So, for simplicity's sake, if you purchase a $500 Bar Tab, the price of each beverage is then deducted from said Bar Tab. If the credit runs out, any additional drinks are charged directly to your onboard account to be settled at the end of the voyage. 

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However, Bar Tab money is non-refundable, so if you do not use it during your sailing, any remaining balance is forfeited. It cannot be transferred to future voyages or refunded to your original form of payment. 

That said, unlike traditional drink packages, you can use your Bar Tab on yourself and other sailors. As an example, on my first Virgin Voyages cruise aboard Brilliant Lady, my partner and I were surprised on the last night when another passenger came up to us and offered to buy us a round of drinks because she had a surplus of Bar Tab money left and did not want it to go to waste. 

How much does the Virgin Voyages Bar Tab cost?

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Whereas other cruise lines have a fixed price for their drink packages, Virgin allows guests to choose how much they want to load onto their Bar Tab. 

You can purchase credit in a variety of amounts, from smaller sums for light drinkers to larger amounts for those who want the freedom to splurge on craft cocktails, wine, and other specialty beverages throughout the sailing. 

Here's a breakdown of how much bonus credit you can receive based on your Bar Tab purchase:

• $200 Bar Tab = $25 bonus credit (12.5% extra), for a total of $225
• $300 Bar Tab = $50 bonus credit (16.7% extra), for a total of $350 (Top pick according to Virgin Voyages)
• $500 Bar Tab = $100 bonus credit (20% extra), for a total of $600
• $750 Bar Tab = $175 bonus credit (23.3% extra), for a total of $825
• $1,000 Bar Tab = $250 bonus credit (25% extra), for a total of $1,250

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Sometimes, Virgin Voyages offers special promotions that include bonus Bar Tab credit with certain bookings, though these offers aren’t guaranteed. 

What drinks are included on Virgin Voyages?

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You may decide that you're better off paying for each drink as you go, and that's okay! Virgin’s base fare includes a selection of complimentary beverages that may be enough to satisfy your daily beverage needs without needing to pre-purchase a pricey Bar Tab. 

Drinks included on Virgin Voyages include:

• Filtered still and sparkling water
• Non-pressed juices
• Fountain sodas
• Teas and drip coffee
• Milk and select non-dairy creamers 

Pro tip: head up to the pool deck for the sailaway party for free champagne! You can have more than one glass. It isn't the highest-quality beverage out there, but it doesn't cost you anything! 

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You may be wondering how much drinks cost on Virgin Voyages to help you choose which bar tab is (or isn't) right for you. On average, you can expect to spend around $11-$17 on cocktails, $9-$17 on wines by the glass, and $8-$11 on beer aboard Virgin's fleet. 

Premium non-alcoholic drinks typically cost around $7-$9 for fresh-squeezed or cold-pressed juices, $6 for Red Bull, and $4-$8 for specialty coffees. 

After sailing with Virgin Voyages and not buying a Bar Tab, I think it's something everyone should consider

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Now you might be wondering, "Is the Virgin Voyages Bar Tab worth it?" I think yes. The Bar Tab can be used to pay for nearly any beverage on your Virgin Voyages cruise ship and at The Beach Club at Bimini.

This includes cocktails, beer, wine (by the glass and bottle), spirits, mocktails, energy drinks, fresh-pressed juices, and specialty coffees at bars, lounges, and restaurants.

As such, you can rest assured knowing that everything from beachside piña coladas to late-night martinis and pre-dinner glasses of wine is covered by your Bar Tab. 

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That said, the Bar Tab can only be used on alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. It isn't valid on other add-ons, such as spa treatments, internet upgrades, or tattoos at Squid Ink, as well as merchandise in the stores. 

In my case, I regret not buying a bar tab on my Virgin Voyages cruise vacation. Just like with traditional drink packages, you may find that Virgin Voyages' bar tab isn't worth it for you. However, most cruisers tend to benefit from at least purchasing the $200 Bar Tab for an additional $25 in free credits.

Not educating myself on the bar tab ahead of time meant that my partner and I missed out on free drinks during our MerMaiden cruise aboard Brilliant Lady — something we regret to this day. 

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With a $225 Bar Tab, you could enjoy 45 lattes or 32 Heineken beers. The same amount also covers 25 glasses of wine, 17 superior mojitos, 28 cold-pressed juices, or 32 handcrafted mocktails, according to Virgin's website. 

For heavier drinkers, however, a larger Bar Tab might make more sense. For example, a $500 Bar Tab comes with a $100 bonus credit. This equates to 40 espresso martinis, 85 Heineken beers, 66 glasses of wine, 46 superior mojitos, 75 cold-pressed juices, or 85 handcrafted mocktails. 

There's a lot of flexibility in how you spend your Bar Tab money, and it doesn't have to be solely on alcoholic beverages. 

Read more: 5 things I liked and 3 I hated about my adult-only cruise on Virgin Voyages